A Shropshire schoolboy was left stranded at the side of the road unable to get to school because new council rules stopped the driver allowing him on without his bus pass.
Paul Burgwin, of Goodrich Close, Muxton, said his 12-year-old son Joe was left at the roadside - without his mobile phone - after his parents had gone to work.
The bus driver refused to take the boy to school because he had left his bus pass at home.
Joe was forced to knock on neighbours’ doors before he found someone who was in, so he could use the phone to contact his mother Lucy.
Mrs Burgwin then had to complete a 50-mile round trip to pick Joe up to take him to Burton Borough School in Newport. Mr Burgwin said his son has since had a caution for being late for school.
Telford & Wrekin Council today said the bus pass system had been revised since the incident on Wednesday.
Mr Burgwin said the coach company “profusely apologised” because it had to enforce the council’s ‘no pass, no travel’ policy.
“Previously, the drivers used their common sense and let the children on if they had forgotten their bus pass, because they didn’t want to leave a young child behind,” he said.
Mr Burgwin added he was pleased the council had changed its policy, but said his son should not have been put at risk.
“I was just appalled the policy would mean a child would be left alone at the roadside,” he said.
“I contacted the council and it has agreed to change the policy so drivers now have to phone up the transport depot to check if the child is a pass holder.
“But it shouldn’t have been allowed to happen in the first place.”
Councillor Stephen Burrell, lead member for children and young people, said: “This was an unfortunate incident which we have thoroughly investigated and, as a result, have revised our system.
“For the safety of all pupils who use our transport, we do have a strict policy regarding student bus passes.”
By Kirsty Marston
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